Railway-rail-jo i nt connection



(No Model.)

M. HUBBELL. RAILWAY RAIL JOINT CONNECTION.

No."50l3,2 39. Patented Aug. 15, 18-93.

WITNESSES: I lNl/ENTOH A TTOHNE Y S.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN HUBBELL, .OF MOUNT KISCO, NEW YORK.

RAI LWAY-RAIL-JOINT CONNECTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 503,239, dated Aifgust 15,1893,

Application filed April 6, 1892. Serial No. 427,982. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN HUBBELL, of

. Mount Kisco, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Railway-RaiL-Joint Connection, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to an improved device for the connection of railroad rails at their ends, and has for its object to provide a novel rail-joint or connection, which will be adapted to retain two rail ends aligned, and secured against lateral displacement with regard to each other,while a limited longitudinal movement of the rails is permitted, to compensate for their expansion and contraction due to changes of temperature incurred; a further object being, to provide a novel joint connection for railroad rails, which is of simple, cheap construction, which is durable and reliable under all the exactions of service,which is adapted forquick application or detachment, and that is capable of supporting rail ends between ties if such a location of the rail joint is necessary.

To these ends, my invention consists in the peculiar construction and combination of parts, as is hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side view of two rails broken away near adjacent ends, and shown connected by the improved device. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the rails and joint connection shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3--3 in Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 44 in Fig. 2.

The improvement is applicable to T rails of any weight and dimensions, it being understood that a due proportion of parts is had to adapt the joint connection to different sized rails.

There aretwo similar angle plates A, provided for the improved joint connection, which plates are shaped to conform with the outline of the webs a, and base flanges b, of the similar T rails B, which are to be held in place by the improved joint connection. Upon the outer edges of the lateral, horizontal portions 0, on the angle plates A, integral depending flanges c are formed, which have a loose contact with the edges of the base flanges b of two connected rails B. A base plate d, is provided, on which the railway rail end portions are seated when they are connected with the improved device, and it will be seen that the lower edges of the angle plate flanges 0, rest upon the marginal portions of the base plate, the relative proportions of parts being such as will permit a free sliding movement of the rails B, when connected with the angle plates and base plates. It is essential that such a sufficient length be given to the plates A, d, as will support the connected rails B, laterally, when the plates are thereto secured, the preferred means for attaching the angle plates consisting of the bolts 6, that pass through holes in the upright parts of the plates A, which impinge on the rail webs a, and also through longitudinal slots 6 in said webs that coincide with the bolt holes; whereby a connection of parts is afforded which will allow the rails B to separate slightly at the joint, and slide a limited distance on the base plate 01, it being understood that the bolts 6 are held from displacement by the nuts c which are so adjusted that longitudinal movement of the rails B can take place when .these are expanded or contracted by climatic changes.

(Jo-acting with the bolts and nuts e, 6 two similar clamps g are provided, which are shaped preferably as shown, each consisting of a bar bent at each end so as to produce the clasping hooks g thereon, said book ends being adapted to embrace the edge portions of the flanges c and base plate d, that are vertically aligned. As shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, one hook end portion of each clamp g is seated in a suitable notch g formed in the .edges of the flange c and base plate d,which notches are formed in opposite edges of the parts named. The width between the inner shoulders g of the clamps g, is proportioned to the width of the base-plate d, so that when the clamps g are in place, room will be afforded for an insertion of the wedge keys h between the shoulders named and edges of the base-plate and flanges c on the angle plates A, which will cause the clamps g to bind the plate d upon the angle plates when the keys h are driven into the spaces provided for their reception. After the keys h are properly driven to clamp the angle plates and base-plate together, this connection of parts is secured by bending the thin ends it of the keys over a corner of the angle plates and base plate, as indicated in Fig. 2. The notches t' in the base plate d, are provided to receive spikes if necessary to secure the rails upon cross ties.

It will be seen that when the parts are assembled as has been explained, the webs and base flanges of the track rails 13, will be inclosed upon the sides and bottom, thereby providing for a limited sliding joint connection between the track rails, which will resist lateral or vertical deflection or displacement at the rail ends, and which is adapted to sustain load strain on the rails if the joint is located between supporting ties of the track.

As all parts of the improved joint connection are readily produced by ordinary methods of construction, the device can be manufactured at a moderate cost.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A rail joint comprising the two angle plates A having lateral depending flanges c c and provided with notches 9 the notched base plate (I on which the base of the rail and the flanges a rest, the clamp bars having inwardly projecting hooks g g, at their ends to engage the lateral portions 0 of the plates A, and the wedge keys h adapted to be driven between the vertical shoulders 9 01 the hooks g and the outer longitudinal edges of the base plate (1 and flanges c, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with adjacent end portions of two aligned track rails, of two angle plates which loosely bear upon opposite web faces of the track rails, a depending flange on the horizontal edge portion of each angle plate, a base plate on which said flanges rest transverse bolts passing close through holes in the angle plates and loosely through longitudinal slots in the track rails, two clamps, the hooked ends of which engage notched edges of the angle plates and base plate, and wedge-shaped keys introduced between shoulders on the other ends of the clamps and edges of the angle plates and base plate, which keys are held in place by bending their thin ends over the corners of the angle plates, substantially as described.

MARTIN HUBBELL.

Witnesses:

JACOB S. BROUVER, D. W. BAILY. 

